MULTIMORBIDITY BURDEN AND CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK PROFILES IN URBAN INDIAN TYPE 2 DIABETICS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in India disproportionately presents with multiple concurrent non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Urban populations in Central India, particularly in the Vidarbha region, represent an understudied yet rapidly growing cohort with unique cardiometabolic risk profiles. This study aimed to assess the burden of multimorbidity and associated cardiometabolic parameters among T2DM patients enrolled in a structured chronic care programme in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using clinical records of 76 unique T2DM patients attending the GTT Diabetes & Lifestyle Care Centre, Nagpur (Vidharbha RIC) between April 2025 and April 2026. Sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, biochemical, and pharmacological data were extracted. Multimorbidity was defined as the co-occurrence of two or more chronic conditions in addition to T2DM. Descriptive statistics and frequency analysis were performed. Results: The mean age of participants was 51.4 ± 9.5 years (range: 33–75 years); 57.9% were male. Multimorbidity was present in 61.8% (n=47) of patients. The most prevalent comorbidities were hypertension (40.8%), obesity (31.6%), dyslipidaemia (10.5%), ischaemic heart disease (IHD) (9.2%), coronary artery disease (CAD) (6.6%), and hypothyroidism (6.6%). Mean baseline HbA1c was 8.39 ± 2.03%, mean BMI was 26.6 ± 4.3 kg/m², and mean systolic blood pressure was 124.8 ± 13.7 mmHg. Patients with ≥4 comorbidities exhibited markedly elevated cardiometabolic risk parameters including higher polypharmacy burden (up to 42 medications dosage units). Conclusion: Multimorbidity is highly prevalent among urban Indian T2DM patients in Central India. The compounding burden of hypertension, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases significantly elevates cardiometabolic risk. Structured multidisciplinary care models are urgently needed to address this complex disease burden. These findings provide essential real-world data to inform clinical practice guidelines and public health policy in the Central Indian urban context.